Aukland Wins RoD At WVMS

(Middlebourne, WV) A much warmer evening greeted a full hillside of anxious race fans who were in attendance last evening to watch the powerful Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series and Renegades of Dirt Modified Tour battle it out at the beautiful 4/10 mile West Virginia Motor Speedway located in Mineral Wells, WV. Another stellar field of the Eastern United States best open wheel modifieds where in action to try and lay claim to another prestigious Renegade of Dirt Modified Tour event and the $2000 top prize. Thirty-six participants filled the pit area from six states for the second straight night including; Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia looking to vie for the 2nd ever ‘Dirtwarz’ title which was won by Kyle Strickler and the state of North Carolina in 2012.

When action got underway at the ‘Speedplant’ for the second night of a season opening weekend double header for the tour which saw Jesse Wisecarver take the checkers at the Hilltop Speedway in the 2Brothers owned #62. It was Wisecarver who would again lead the charge out of the gate topping 2Brothers Motorsports ‘Time Trials’ with a blistering lap of 19.528 to earn the 2Brothers Motorsports “Fast Time” Award and $100 bonus on behalf of the St.Clairsville, OH, Shaw Chassis dealership, Wisecarver would then draw a four for the evenings heat race invert procedure.

As the evening moved on the monstrous Mountain State facility it was three twelve car, ten lap preliminary heat races that would transfer five cars from each directly into the Arizona Sport Shirts A-Main. Lincoln Electric heat race number one was a good one, the talented youngster Travis Dickson of Gallipolis, OH grabbed the early top spot over the veteran Rick Aukland. As the field sorted out just a few laps remained when Aukland began reeling in Dickson for the lead, with just two to go Aukland slipped by to grab the lead and the win with Dickson, Wisecarver, Rich Michael, and Tanner Wilson your top five. When Dirtcast.com heat race number two rolled onto the speedway it was the 144 of Anthony Kinkade who would jump out to the early lead as a four car battle ensued behind him between Scott Stiffler, Kevin Morehouse, JP Roberts, and Kennie Compton of Bland, VA. As Kinkade crossed the stripe for the final time picking up the DirtCast.com heat two victory he was trailed by JP Roberts, Kevin Morehouse, Scott Stiffler, and Kennie Compton in that order. Next up on the speedway was ModFury.com heat race number three that saw Mineral Wells hometown competitor Kenny Johnson take a dominating victory followed by an impressive run by Renegade ‘Rookie of the Year’ contender Nathon Loney of Danville, OH, Taylor Cook, “The Hitman” Jess Hartman, and John Burdette round out the top five.

Furthermore, it was “The Model of Consistency” Mark Dickson of Gallipolis, OH who would claim the only Bullring Bonanza sponsored B-Main of the evening which took the top three followed to the line by JE Stalder, Deana Groves, Kyle Strickler, and Shawn Donahue. Strickler who fell victim to a mechanical failure in his heat race would take the events fast time provisional for his 2nd overall quick lap, and the 92 machine of Joel Watson would take the Renegades of Dirt high point provisional to start 20th to round out the stellar $2000 to win, Arizona Sport Shirts A-Main field.

After an outstanding Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series 50 lap A-Main it was the Renegades of Dirt Modifieds turn to take center stage on the evening with the twenty-five lap Arizona Sport Shirts A-Main. When the main event got underway it was Ohio native Rick Aukland vs West Virginia native Kenny Johnson who lead the talented twenty car field to the WV/OH Dirtwars green flag. Johnson would take off like a rocket ship to set the early pace on the field pulling Aukland and the others by over five car lengths through the early laps of the race. As action continued throughout the entire pack at times three and even four wide it was Aukland who begin sticking his nose under Johnson for the lead, the two would battle for nearly ten laps neck and neck around the entire 4/10 mile ‘Speedplant’. Aukland took over the top spot on lap 16, immediately followed by a lap 17 caution that would bunch up the field for a slowing John Burdette in a Mike McPherson owned RV1X ride who came to a stop in turns three and four. On the restart Aukland continued to lead followed by Johnson who was now battling a hard charging Kevin Morehouse and JP Roberts for the second through fourth positions. Meanwhile, “The Highside Tickler” Kyle Strickler was making his black and orange #8 machine work taking the events “Hard Charger” coming from his 19th starting position clear up to an 8th place finish. When the checkered flag fell it was Zanesville, OH’s “Badlands Bandit” Rick Aukland who would earn the $2000 top prize and find himself in American Racer/Lias Tire Victory Lane.With the win the Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer and driver of the Lightning Chassis #2 machine would earn his fourth overall Renegades of Dirt Modified Tour A-Main. Aukland was followed to the line by first time Renegade of Dirt competitor and five time AMRA champion Kenny Johnson, current Renegades of Dirt Modified Tour points leader Kevin Morehouse in car #28, Gallipolis, OH’s JP Roberts, and the #144 of Anthony Kinkade who rounded out the top five.

“I was going to work tomorrow but I suppose I’ll just go ahead and take the morning off” joked an excited Aukland in American Racer Victory Lane. “We got off to a bad start last night at Hilltop, we had some problems on the car we were working to get figured out. We got it fixed for tonight and had a really fast race car right from the start” stated Aukland. “This is the first time I’ve run on the new configuration here and it’s still super fast. We’re glad to get another win on the tour and help ourselves in the points at the end of the weekend” concluded Aukland.

Aukland would also be awarded the Genesis Racing Shocks “Great Performer of the Night” award (a $100 certificate on behalf of Genesis Shocks), the Wasserbeck Speed Shop $500 certificate award, and will now sit just twelve points outside the top spot in 2013 Renegades of Dirt Modified Tour points that will pay the season ending champion a lucrative $5000 dollar grand prize. In addition, Scott Stiffler of Farmdale, OH will lead the early points of the competing GRT Race Cars in 2013 who will also be battling it out for 50% off a new 2014 GRT Dirt Modified Chassis on behalf of the Greensbrier, AR based chassis manufacturer. Saturday nights fast qualifier and sixth place finisher, Tanner Wilson of Zanesville, OH will lead the talented group of 2013 ‘Rookie of the Year’ contenders through the first two events with Nathon Loney, Amanda Stiffler, and Bud Watson second through fourth.

Results: April 21st, West Virginia Motor Speedway
Car Count: 36
Fast Qualifier: Jesse Wisecarver – 19.528

Lincoln Electric Heat 1: Rick Aukland, Travis Dickson, Jesse Wisecarver, Rich Michael, Tanner Wilson, Joel Watson, Mike McPherson, Kevin Miller, Bill Fordyce, Justin Hart, James Dennis

DirtCast.com Heat 2: Anthony Kinkade, JP Roberts, Kevin Morehouse, Scott Stiffler, Kennie Compton Jr., JE Stalder, Dave McWilliams, Shawn Donahue, Jim Fordyce, Kyle Strickler

ModFury.com Heat 3: Kenny Johnson, Nathon Loney, Taylor Cook, Jess Hartman, John Burdette, Mark Dickson, Deana Groves, Amanda Stiffler, Kurt Burge

Bullring Bonanza B-Main: Mark Dickson, JE Stalder, Deana Groves, Kyle Strickler, Shawn Donahue, Dave McWilliams, Bill Fordyce, Kevin Miller, Mike McPherson, Kurt Burge, Jim Fordyce, Amanda Stiffler, Joel Watson. DNS: Bud Watson, Tyler Carpenter, Bruce Dennis, James Dennis, Lance Elson, Wade Benjamin

“WV/OH Dirtwars”: Rick Aukland, Kenny Johnson, Kevin Morehouse, JP Roberts, Anthony Kinkade, Jesse Wisecarver, Rich Michael, Kyle Strickler, Taylor Cook, Travis Dickson, Scott Stiffler, Mark Dickson, Jess Hartman, Kennie Compton Jr., Nathon Loney, Deana Groves, JE Stalder, Tanner Wilson, John Burdette, Joel Watson

The next scheduled Renegade of Dirt Modified Tour event is Memorial Weekend, May 25th & 26th at the Tyler County Speedway in Middlebourne, WV as part of the Bullring Bonanza. The biggest event in Renegades of Dirt Modified Tour history and one of the biggest events for dirt modified enthusiasts in the entire Eastern U.S in 2013 will boast a total $40,000 weekend purse for the second annual “Let It Ride 55”. Modified aces from all over the United States will set their sights on the mighty “Mountain State” ¼ “Bullring” in search for the $7555 top prize awarding a minimum $755 to all A-Main starters, full “A-Main” purse breakdown: 1. $7555, 2. $3555, 3. $2255, 4. $1955, 5. $1755, 6. $1555, 7. $1255, 8. $1055, 9. $955, 10. $925, 11. $875, 12. $855, 13. $825, 14. $815, 15. $795, 16. $775, 17. $755, 18. $755, 19. $755, 20. $755, 21. $755,22. $755, 23. $755, 24. $755, 25. $755. The event will also feature an eighteen car non-qualifier running for $755 to win and $255 to start. The will be monies awarded for fast time, dash winner, heat wins, and contingencies galore throughout the two day weekend show. For more information visit www.bullringbonanza.net or to pre-enter today call 304.771.5051 or 304.758.4411 with question and ticket information.

You can contact the Eastern Dirt Grassroots Entertainment Company or Renegades of Dirt Modified Tour anytime for further information by texting/calling 304.771.5051 or faxing 304.758.4411 with any further questions on rules, procedures, and more on the upcoming season. Renegade fans can receive up to the minute breaking news and live updates on our active media outlets which can be accessed via a variety of social media sites including Facebo0k at www.facebo0k.com/rodconnect or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/rodconnect.

The Renegades of Dirt thanks the following sponsors for their support in 2013: GRT Race Cars, Outlaw Graphics & Automotive, Arizona Sports Shirts, 4m.net, GottaRace.com, DirtCast.com, OVDTR.com, ModFury.com, Integra Shocks, Elite Chassis, American Racer / Lias Tire, Wasserbeck Speed Shop, Malcuit Race Engines, All-Star Grafix, 2Brothers Motorsports, and Schaeffer’s Oil.